CPSB supports Amendment #2
Bring Our Fair Share of Oil and Gas Tax
Revenues Home
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
The Claiborne Parish School Board passed a resolution Thursday night in support of Amendment #2, a proposed
constitutional amendment that would bring in another $2 million back to the oil
and gas producing parishes for road repair and other things. It is on the
November 2 ballot.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The passage of a revenue increase
from the state has already been impressively supported by Claiborne Parish,
however, Amendment #2 has gained support statewide.
The Claiborne Parish Police Jury
formed a committee earlier this year to educate others about the amendment and
several agencies and organizations have gone on record in support of the
amendment, including the Louisiana Municipal Association, the Louisiana Police
Jury Association and many others.
The severance tax proposed constitutional
amendment, already a Louisiana law where oil and natural gas producing parishes
pay a severance tax, was changed from the last time it went before the voters
last year.
The biggest complaint voiced was
people didn’t understand the language. So this time around, the language on the
proposal was changed. It’s also been reported that several municipalities
didn’t support it because they didn’t see any revenue from their parish
counterparts.
The severance tax, which was signed
into law in the early 1900s, is one levied on oil and natural gas companies.
They pay a tax on all natural resources they take out of the parish. In turn,
the law says the state is supposed to return 20 percent of those taxes to the
parishes from which they came to go towards road infrastructure and repairs to
roads damaged by the companies.
However, a cap is placed on how
much the parish gets back from the state. Until last year, the law stated the
parishes get back 20 percent of the taxes they paid in up to $750,000. Last year,
that cap went up to $850,000 the state returns to oil and natural gas producing
parishes.
On the November ballot in 2008,
Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, authored a proposed constitutional amendment to
increase the cap to $2.85 million, which is around 20 percent of what the state
gives back. If passed, the proposed amendment would raise the current cap to
$1.85 million, effective July 1, 2012 and would increase again in 2013 to $2.85
million with a consumer price index increase per year as well.
For example, in one year, Claiborne
Parish paid approximately $15 million in severance tax. They only received
$750,000 of the $15 million they paid in, which is a very small amount in
comparison. If the proposed constitutional amendment is passed by the voters,
parishes like Claiborne would get 20 percent back, in which using the example
above, would mean Claiborne would get back approximately $2.85 million (roughly
20 percent of $15 million).
Of that $2.85 million, if passed,
50 percent of that must go towards road infrastructure with the rest going to
the parish to do with as they see fit.
Last year, the amendment largely
failed in the following parishes along major interstates through Louisiana. Along the I-10 corridor, the amendment failed in Calcasieu, Acadia, Iberville,
West and East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Tangipahoa and St. Tammany parishes. It
passed in Jefferson Davis, Lafayette and St. Martin parishes.
Along the I-10 south corridor, it
failed in all parishes except LaFourche Parish. Along the I-20 corridor, it
failed in Caddo, DeSoto, Natchitoches, Rapides and St. Landry parishes. It
passed in Evangeline and Lafayette parishes.
Haynesville Mayor Sherman Brown has
always jokingly said that if this proposed amendment passes, that means his
town would get a “bigger piece of the pie.” Although the way he says it is
humorous, he is serious about supporting the proposed constitutional amendment.
The police jury went on record in
August’s meeting in support of Proposed Constitutional Amendment #2. In a press
release, the police jury voted to support the proposed amendment. They have
dubbed it the “Bring It Home,” proposal.
“If passed, it will NOT RAISE TAXES
but may BRING HOME local dollars to build and maintain roads and bridges in the
parish,” it states. “It will also provide funding for general parish services.
This “fair share” amendment is
being supported statewide by parish governments and its state board.
“I echo my fellow jurors in saying
that we are pleased to support this measure,” said Police Jury President Scott
Davidson. “It keeps local dollars local for local needs without raising one
penny in taxes.”
Other endorsements of the proposed
amendment include Gov. Bobby Jindal, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and the
Oil and Gas Commission. Also, Citizens for a Better Louisiana, Louisiana Ducks
Unlimited, the BASS Federation, Driving Louisiana Forward, and the Louisiana
Associated General Contractors have also publicly stated their support.
The proposed amendment is Act #541
which was passed by both the Louisiana House of Representatives and the
Louisiana Senate in 2009’s regular legislative session. It will be proposed
constitutional amendment #2 on November 2’s ballot.
A CRY FOR PEACE
Prayer walk, vigil honors slain neighbor
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle
Bates
Top, a candlelight prayer vigil was held
at the home where Jeremy Willis was died just three weeks ago. Above, citizens
from the Pearl Street area neighborhood march on MLK to Pearl Street to signify
their desire for peace where they live.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
“A cry
for peace” – that was the intention of a march and vigil held Monday night in
remembrance of a young man who was shot to death on Pearl Street just three
weeks ago.
In
honor of Jeremy Willis, those who attended the vigil and march said they wanted
the violence to stop.
Christy
Willis, the young man’s mother, said she attended the vigil because she also
wants the violence to stop. And although it’s been a difficult road for her,
she said her family has been a great support system since her son’s death.
“It’s
been really hard,” Willis said. “I came because we want to bring some kind of
peace to the neighborhood and stop the violence.”
Jeremy Willis was shot and
killed on Sunday, September 26, when, police say, he was involved in an
altercation. After he was shot, he then attempted to go to a neighbor’s home
but collapsed when he arrived. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police believe the incident may
be gang-related; however, those in the Pearl Street neighborhood say different.
“A lot
of people think this is gang related, but it’s not,” Christy Willis said.
And she was clear that “no
matter what my son (Jeremy) has done, he had a good heart.”
Although
no one is saying what the core issue of the violence is about, Ms. Willis said
it’s a situation that has been going on for several years.
Willie Curry, who participated
in the march and vigil, said this escalation in violence has to end.
“There’s
too much violence going on and too much unacceptable behavior,” he said.
Homer
Police Chief Russell Mills said the vigil and prayer walk was a good start.
“I feel
as though this vigil was done in good faith as a start to rid the Pearl Street area from the dangerous activity that has devastated this whole town,” he said.
“I’m hoping that it will put a stop to some of the violence and make people
realize that there are people in this community who care about each other. We
are all responsible for stopping this activity. It’s going to take the
community working together to stop this violence.”
While
the issues may or may not be gang related, the violence continues. The next
week after Jeremy Willis was killed, Tony Mitchell became the next victim of a
gunshot wound. He is expected to recover; however, police say this incident was
likely in retaliation to Willis’ death.
Haywood
Harris, 36, of Homer, was arrested on September 26 and charged with second
degree murder in the death of Jeremy Willis. Derrick Mitchell, another person
of interest, was located, arrested and charged with possession of a firearm or
carrying a concealed weapon by a convicted felon. A hold by Probation and
Parole was also placed on him.
And
just this week, a shooting occurred on Dutchtown Road, again tying into the other
two, police say.
Homer
Police Department Captain Donald Malray said the shooting occurred at about 3:45 a.m. Monday morning at the residence of Loid and Carlon White. Apparently, he said, a
weapon that appeared to be an AK47 was discharged into the house. At least 6
shells were recovered from the scene. Several bullets entered the home through
the brick and the front door area.
At the
time of the shooting, there were four people inside the home.
Malray said this shooting
relates to the other two because through their investigations of the previous
shootings, the same names keep coming up.
Mills
has reiterated time and time again that it’s going to take the cooperation of
the community to solve these crimes.
Malray
emphasized that statement.
“At
this time, we’re getting no cooperation from the citizens in the Dutchtown Road and Pearl Street areas,” Malray said. “We have to have community involvement
to clean up the streets and solve these crimes. Very few people are going to
shoot when the police is in the area, but if we have to go back to horseback
riding or bicycles, we’re going to catch who did this.”
Police
have beefed up patrol in those areas to try to deter the violence from
escalating even further. After the march Monday night, police patrolled the area
all night and Mills said they are continuing their vigilance to stop it.
“We
have no motive at this time why the house was shot up,” Mills said. “I don’t
know how to explain how I feel towards the individual or individuals who are
responsible for this violent act. What could these people have done that was so
bad to instigate such an act on their lives? I can’t imagine how one has to
feel to make them want to do something that severe to somebody. I can’t imagine
the fear those people went through.”
Police
are asking that anyone who has any information in regards to this violence to
please call their department at 927-4001. Again, it takes the community working
together to make a difference, Mills said.
Bernice couple identified in shooting
The Guardian-Journal
A
Bernice man who is accused of shooting his wife and then himself has been
identified and arrested on several charges.
On
Tuesday, October 12, the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) responded to
a 911 call on a dirt road off Fowler Road outside of Lisbon.
According
to a CPSO news release, the caller advised that Billy Terez Singleton, 38, of
Bernice had shot her (his wife) and then himself. Officers arrived on scene and
both were airlifted to the hospital.
According
to sources at the scene, the two were involved in a domestic dispute at the
time of the shooting.
Claiborne
Parish Sheriff’s Detectives Darren Keel and Chief Detective Charles Buford
began an investigation into the shooting. On Saturday, October 16, Singleton
was released from Louisiana Health Sciences Center and was arrested by the
Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office as a fugitive from Claiborne Parish.
Keel
arrested Singleton once he was transported to the Claiborne Parish Detention
Center on charges of illegal use of weapons/dangerous instrumentalities with
bond set at $10,000, aggravated assault with a firearm with bond set at
$10,000, possession of or carrying a firearm by a convicted felon with bond set
at $15,000 and attempted second degree murder with bond set at $75,000.
Singleton’s
wife has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full
recovery.
Homer City Hall - Tickets: $5 each
Come enjoy some great food along with
some local favorites. For more information, please call the Claiborne Chamber
of Commerce at 927-3271.
Hey Kids! Let’s get ready for
Halloween!!!
The Guardian-Journal
Attention
all ghosts, goblins, princesses and fairies! It’s that time of year again!
Halloween
is just a couple of weeks away, and the Town of Homer and the Claiborne Parish
Sheriff’s Office want to make sure this Halloween is safe for the kids trick or
treat this year.
Trick
or treating will start a little early this year as Halloween is actually on a
Sunday. So kids, pay attention, because you will be trick or treating on
Saturday evening, October 30.
The
Town of Homer will be open passing out candy at City Hall to all the scary
monsters and sweeties carrying their pumpkins full of candy.
All
parents: Trick or treating will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 8 p.m., with Homer City Hall handing out candy from 3 until 5 p.m. that day.
The
Homer Police Department will also have their goodies ready for the kids as well
from 5 until 8 p.m. The Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office, located next door to
Piggly Wiggly, will also be handing out candy at the same time.
“When
the kids are trick or treating, make sure they have an adult and don’t go to
houses they aren’t familiar with. Take a flashlight with them and just be
careful.” said Sheriff Ken Bailey. “Parents, please inspect all of your
children’s candy before allowing them to eat it.”
As the
children are making their rounds, parents and kids need to be aware of a few
safety rules from halloweensafety.com before turning their children loose.
For the Kids:
• Never, ever go into a
stranger’s house or even ring their door for treats unless your parents are
with you and say that it’s okay. There are some people in life that aren’t very
nice to kids and you have to be careful. Always make sure that your mom or dad
is within sight when you go out trick-or-treating.
• Be careful when you cross a
street. Make sure to look in both directions and make sure that there are no
cars coming. If you have a little brother or sister with you, take their hand
and help them get across the street, too. If the street has a stop light, wait
until the crosswalk light tells you that it’s okay to cross now, but still
check before you cross, look both ways.
• If you are an older kid or
young teen and going out with friends, make sure that your parents know where
you are going and who you are going with. This may seem like a pain, but they
are your parents and they love you. They just want you to be safe.
• If you can drive and are
taking a bunch of friends to a party, make sure that you have enough gas to get
there. You don’t want to run out on a dark street, all alone, like a bad horror
movie!
• If your parents give you a
curfew, be home when they say. It builds trust between you and them and they
are doing it for your own safety. If you are going to be late, call them and
let them know.
• Vandalism is never cool!
Throwing eggs at cars and houses is not cool. Someone has to clean it up and it
could be you, if you get caught. You can also be arrested and punished as a
juvenile. So, don’t think that it’s fun only if you get away with it. It’s
never the right thing to do. Think about how you would feel if someone did that
to your house and how bad it would make you feel.
• Hurting animals is never
acceptable behavior! Some people use Halloween as an excuse to hurt cats and
that is just wrong! Not only is it illegal in most places to hurt or torture
animals and punishable by law, you should never hurt a helpless living thing.
For the Parents:
• As bad as it sounds, this is
just a fact of life now. Get on the internet and check your local state website
for sex offenders. Almost every state has one, just do a search for your state
sex offender site. Look up your zip code and it should have a list of
registered offenders in your area that includes street addresses. Make sure
that your kids stay away from these houses!
• Know the route your kids will
be taking if you aren’t going with them. Let them know that they are to check
in with you every hour, by phone or by stopping back at home. Make sure that
they know not to deviate from the planned route so that you always know where
they will be.
• Trick or treating isn’t what
it used to be. In most cities it’s not safe to let kids walk the streets by
themselves. Your best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If
you can’t take them yourself, see if another parent or two can.
• Help your young child pick out
or make a costume that will be safe. Make sure that it’s fire proof or treated
with fire retardant. If they are wearing a mask of any kind, make sure that
the eye holes are large enough for good peripheral vision.
• Know what other activities a
child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions. If they are
going to be at a friends home, get the phone number and make sure that you’ve
met the parents.
• Make sure you set a time that
your kids should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them
to be home on time or to call immediately if something happens and they are
going to be delayed.
• Kids will be kids. Explain to
kids of all ages the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at
a house may seem funny but they need to know the other side of the coin as
well, that clean up and damages can ruin Halloween for everyone. If they are
caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they’ve made.
• Some sick people find
Halloween a great night to hurt cats. Explain to your kids that animal cruelty
of any kind is not acceptable. Kids may already know this on their own but
stress the point that it’s not acceptable behavior. Make sure that they know
that harming animals is not only morally wrong but punishable by law and will
not be tolerated.
• Serve your kids a filling meal
before trick or treating and they won’t be as tempted to eat any candy before
they bring it home for you to check. Check your local grocery store or craft
store for Halloween cook books full of tasty treats on a horror theme for both
kids and adults.
• Make sure that if your child
is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the
tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on. Make sure
that costumes won’t get in the way when they are walking, which could cause
them to trip.
• Teach your kids about not
getting into strangers cars or talking to strangers, no matter what the person
says to them. Explain to them as simply as you can that some adults are bad and
want to hurt children, that they should never go into a house that they don’t
know, get into a car or go anywhere with a stranger. Also, tell them what to do
should this happen, to scream as loud as they can to draw attention and to run
away as fast as they can to someplace safe.
• Be sure to show your children
know how to cross a street properly. They should always look both ways before
crossing the street and should only cross at corners or crosswalks. Make sure
that if you have more than one child, they know to take the hand of the younger
child when they cross a street.
‘Cross in View, it’s the right thing to
do’
Claiborne Parish celebrates National
School Bus Safety Week
The Guardian-Journal photo/Michelle Bates
The Claiborne Parish School System is celebrating its bus drivers this week during National School Bus Safety Week.
Pictured above are from left, Transportation Supervisor Ronnie McKenzie, Homer
Elementary Principal Pat Lee, Claiborne Parish Superintendent of Schools Dr.
Janice Williams, Bus Driver for 44 years Dalton Pugh, Bus Drivers Clarence
Ferguson, Valerie Cooper, Nora Howard, Cheryl Zeagler, Valerie Holyfield and
Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinator Clifton Lewis. The cuties in the bus
windows are from left, Fourth Grader Kennedy Minor, Pre-K Student Jonathan
Lonadier, Second Grader Nyasia Bursey, First Grader Kamille Patton and Fourth
Grader R.J. Smith.
National
School Bus Safety Week is October 18-22.
Safe
and Drug Free Schools Coordinator Clifton Lewis is encouraging all schools to
plan and develop activities to recognize all personnel involved in the daily
task of safely transporting our students to and from their respective schools.
Say
“THANKS” to a bus driver, put up a poster, give them a card, have a class to
make a nice sign or treat them to a snack in the lounge as your way of saying
thanks for a job well done.
Introducing...
Miss Claiborne Parish 2010
The Guardian Journal photo/Jenni Williams
Haynesville High School senior Holley Hollenshead was crowned
2010 Miss Claiborne Parish at the recent Third Annual Claiborne Parish Fair
Pageant. Holley is the daughter of Buddy and Donna Bennett of Haynesville.
